Softly Awaken

Chapter Twenty Five

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps

- Prov. 16:9

"If you really didn't like the broccoli and cauliflower, you could have told me," Deb said wryly, scraping the last of the leftover meal into her garbage. "You didn't have to hide it from me, you know?" Glancing over her shoulder, she watched John's face contort into derision as he spoke to the plumber.

"How was I supposed to know you didn't have garbage disposal?" he whispered, resting his hand over the speaking end of the cordless receiver.

Jing Mei couldn't help but laugh at the whole mess; her sink was now clogged with green and white florets. "You so owe me for this!" Turning around, she piled the two dirty plates beside the sink, as well as the glasses and utensils and grabbed a dishcloth to wipe off her dining table. "When I invited you for lunch, I wasn't expecting to have to call a plumber," she teased, winking at John as she strode passed him.

"Hey, what do you think I'm doing on the phone with the plumber?" John asked dryly. "I said I would get it fixed."

"I knew I should have just ordered pizza."

"Ha. Ha." John rolled his eyes, as the plumber jotted down the address. He had been trying to be nice and surprise her for lunch, but she had convinced him that she would cook lunch, since she never cooked as often as she would have liked. The meal was delicious, except for his aversion to broccoli and cauliflower, which led him to hide it in his napkin and accidentally dumping it into the regular sink before realizing she had no garbage disposal. "You know being your friend seems to come with a lot of strings," he sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter, as he punched 'end' on the telephone.

"Not that many," she said casually, as she leaned over to wipe the round dining table. Turning her head slightly, she looked up at him mischievously, "Except wrecking household appliances and such."

"Oh, well they should point that little clause out."

"You should get new lawyers." Grinning, as she walked by, she playfully slapped him across the cheek with her damp hand. "I'm sure your grandmother would be able to help you out on that one," Jing Mei said, casting a knowing look behind her. "She just loves to help you."

"Don't even get me started on that," John groaned, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "I never had an inkling that she would set me up on a blind date for this charity ball the Board of Directors is throwing."

"Your grandmother has good taste." Jing Mei dried her hands on a near by hand towel and turned around to face John, who looked ready to hide in some closet. She felt the corners of her lips tug slightly, as she tried to appear somewhat empathetic. "I'm sure she is a wonderful girl, John." She fe.

"Why couldn't you have lied for me, when I told her that you were going to be my date?" his voice raised, almost into a whine. "She was right there." Dropping his shoulders, he narrowed his gaze and glared evilly at Deb. Then he wouldn't be in this mess.

"How was I supposed to know there was some hidden agenda when she asked if I was able to attend the charity ball?"

"I was giving you 'the look'!" He pushed off the counter and walked into the living room. Throwing his hands up in the air, he spun around and sighed, "You should have known 'the look'!"

Jing Mei raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm supposed to guess that from a whole flourish of weird and amusing face contortions," she scoffed, "which by the way, were quite amusing."

"I'm seriously thinking about revoking your friendship privileges," he muttered, twining his fingers together and resting his head against them. Flopping onto the couch in despair, which he knew wasn't quite warranted, John closed his eyes and groaned again.

"Well she would have known that I was lying, since Henry had only moments earlier double checked to see if I was able to work the nightshift that evening..." Despite the fact that it was quite entertaining to watch John squirm in angst about having to attend the ball with a complete stranger, Jing Mei did feel slightly bad for the guy. It had been less than a year since her parents had sprung Henry on her at the last fundraiser she had and would ever attend. "How bad could it be?" she said, sliding next to him on the couch. Nudging him with her shoulder, Jing Mei then relaxed into the soft cushions behind her. "It's only for one night."

Folding his arms across his chest, he stared straight ahead, refusing to look at her. He looked like a disgruntled five year old. "Yeah, a night with a dentist, when you are having a root canal," he muttered. Jing Mei burst out laughing, and try as he might, so did John.

--&--

"What happened to 'drinking is the bane of my existence'?" Abby asked dryly, as Susan slipped on a light spring jacket. "You swore you would never go clubbing again after last Wednesday."

It had been a week and a half since that night and though the mention of that night brought back the memory of the surreal kiss that she and Luka had shared, Abby was finally comfortable with it...Or at least she had managed to put it in its place - it had been a one-time thing.

"I never said I wouldn't go clubbing," Susan chided, slipping her hair from under the collar of her coat. "I just said that I wouldn't get drunk like I did."

Abby rolled her eyes, knowing that people who said that were in complete denial that they didn't always have the best judgment in that kind of environment - she knew from experience. "Well have fun," she said, glancing over her shoulder, as she filed away a discharged patient's chart.

"I will...Mom."

Abby head jerked up at the droll slight. Susan's eyes twinkled wickedly and waved goodbye. She shook her head and sighed. "I need to get a life."

"I thought you liked your life," said a familiar voice from behind her.

Abby glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. "I was just lecturing Susan about the dangers of alcohol," she said tiredly. "Doesn't that tell you the estate of my affairs?"

"Affairs?" Luka tilted his head curiously. He then nodded slowly, turning around to grab another chart from the waiting stack. "I never took you for that sort of woman," he said casually, turning his back on her.

Abby's eyes widened at the suggestion; scrunching up her nose, she hit him on the shoulder with the metal patient chart in her hand. "Jerk."

"Ow!" Luka cringed as he felt the impact from the blow. "What?" He stared at her, feigning complete bewilderment at her actions.

"Men," she muttered, partially irritated and partially in jest. She rolled her eyes and headed toward the staff lounge.

Abby hadn't spent much time with Luka after the other night; but from the limited conversation they did have, it was mutually decided that it was what it was and they both wanted to move on. But you don't want to... Biting her bottom lip, she grabbed a styrofoam cup from a near by stack and shook her head. "What am I thinking?" she said under her breath.

--&--

Luka stared after her for a moment before shaking his head and focusing on his next patient. Things were definitely different around County. Nothing major had occurred in the ER for a while now, in regards to personal crises and the beginning or ending of relationships, and it seemed odd in a way.

"Mr. Caplan." Luka greeted the twentyish something man sitting on the gurney. "How are you feeling today?" The patient looked somewhat uneasy and hesitant to speak.

Luka waited patiently for a reply, as the man began to explain what he had been troubling him.

Even Susan had been silent in the relationship advice department.

"Have you taken any of these drugs?" Luka began to list a variety of anti-depressants, which he suspected the man had been abusing. Lately he had noticed an increased group of young men had been coming in complaining about the same exhaustion and mood swings, and just complete lack of mental concentration.

"Will Dr. Kovac please come to the nurse's station?" said a woman's voice over the intercom.

He frowned. Who would be paging him?

After several minutes Luka finished up with the patient and headed towards the nurse's station. He stopped in front of Haleh, who was jotting something down in a chart. "Who paged me?"

Haleh glanced up, a confused and irritated look on her face. "What, am I your secretary?" she spouted with her usual fiery attitude.

"Right," Luka drawled, turning around and searching for a familiar face.

"Luka!"

Jennifer's smiling face greeted him, just as he was turning around. Her face was slightly flushed and she looked embarrassed for some reason. "Jen," he breathed, embracing her in a warm hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm so sorry that they paged you," she blurted, her hand fluttering to her auburn hair. "I just asked for you and they asked if it was important and I hesitated and before you know it, your name was being blared over the speakers." She paused to catch her breath. "So if you're busy," she motioned to the waiting room of patients, "I can totally talk to you later?"

Luka looked at her incredulously. "No," he said dismissively, curious as to what had brought her here. "I have a minute. What did you need?"

"Um, well," she chuckled nervously. "I was hoping you'd come for dinner at my new apartment."

"New apartment, huh?"

Jennifer's face beamed, as she nodded 'yes'. "It's going to be my first dinner party!" she exclaimed, clapping happily.

"Just the three of us?"

Jennifer's enthusiasm seemed to die down and an awkward silence pervaded in lieu of her previous excitement. "Uh, John and Deb?" She seemed hopeful that her answer would placate him.

"Who else is coming?" Luka asked suspiciously.

"Well let me just say there will be no parents or soon-to-be in-laws at the party," she said slowly, her eyes darting around unable to look him in the eye.

"No blind dates." The statement was more of a plea.

Jennifer's head shook vehemently. "No," she reassured. "No blind dates."

"Then who is coming?" He couldn't figure out why Jennifer was being so mysterious about the whole ordeal. It was just dinner.

"Hey Luka, your patient in exam 3 is still waiting for those test results," said Abby, who had just walked up to the counter with an armful of plastic packets.

"You're Abby, right?"

Abby nodded, reaching out her hand and smiled. "Yes," she said slowly, not having a clue who she was.

And obviously the woman realized this and rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry! I'm Jennifer, soon-to-be sister-in-law of Deb Chen..."

Luka watched Jennifer shake hands with his ex, and make polite conversation. There was no way...

"Say, I'm having a party next Tuesday," Jennifer smiled warmly, clasping her hands together. "Would you like to come?"

And there it was.

Luka closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sure Abigail has to work that evening, right Abby?" He gazed at her expectantly, knowing Abby never enjoyed parties such as this, and with perfect strangers.

"Who is going?" Abby eyed him curiously, wondering why he was so ill-at-ease at the suggestion. She didn't necessarily want to go to a party full of people she had never met...But from the looks Luka was giving her, part of her wanted to say yes to find out what the fuss was about.

"Well it would be you, Luka, John and Deb, Stephen and myself."

"I do think I have to work that night," Abby frowned, trying to think of her schedule for the next week.

"Oh," Jennifer breathed, sounding quite disappointed.

Luka moved up along side of Jennifer and tugged on her arm. "You know that's all right, right Jen?" he said, smiling at Abby. Jennifer glanced up questioningly at Luka. "I'm sure she can come to another of your other dinner parties," he suggested.

"Luka," Abby breathed, glaring at his rudeness. What did he expect from the evening? Were Jennifer and Deb's brother some eccentric couple? Were they some kind of freaks that Luka was trying to hide from her? From what she had heard about them, they were apparently a sweet couple.

What was Luka's problem?

"I could probably switch with one of the RNs," she replied, her gaze locked on Luka's. "So you could make that a tentative yes..."

Luka groaned inwardly. Great. "Great!" Jennifer exclaimed, beaming at Abby's answer. "I'll let Luka know the details and he can fill you in?" She glanced up at Luka eagerly.

"Sure." Luka turned his head, so that Abby was unable to see the evil glare he gave to the bubbly party planner.

"Um, do either of you know Chicago well?"

Luka's hand wavered, signaling that he knew it well enough.

"How about you Abby?"

"I know the city by train routes," she informed humorously.

"So why doesn't Luka pick you up and you can go together?"

"I guess we could," she said, motioning to Luka that it his decision. While waiting for a response, she kept held her gaze on the uneasy Croatian doctor.

This sounded too much like she was trying to set them up. Luka, however, just shrugged it off casually, avoiding prolonged eye contact. Now she knew Luka knew what was going on.

"Well," Jennifer sighed. "I'll let you guys figure that out."

"Okay," they drawled in unison.

"We'll talk to you later." With that Jennifer turned and exited out the main doors, leaving both Luka and Abby quite dumbfounded.

Let the melodrama begin again...